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Many thanks to Nichole for her wonderful recommendation to purchase Christmas trees at the Beverly Tree Farm. Nichole wrote of her family’s tradition in this week’s “Nichole’s Family Picks of the Weekend.” Although we don’t have little ones any longer living at home to enjoy the wonderful hospitality provided by the Bertolon Family, I needed a freshly cut tree that will last through an extended holiday season. Usually our tree goes up the second week or so in December, but as our daughter won’t be home for Christmas she asked if we could get the tree up and decorate while she is visiting.

The dork that I am, I showed up at the farm by myself and without saw–I thought it was pick your own, not saw your own, too! Fortunately, the very sweet Mrs Bertolon had just the solution, which was to select from a small pile of trees that folks had cut the previous day, but had left behind.

My next dilemma was the fact they place the tree on top of your car, but for liability reasons cannot tie it down for you. After watching the dad in the car next to mine expertly tie his down, I attempted to secure ours. I couldn’t have been more inept and within a few moments, the super nice dad had successfully tied mine down, too (he mentioned that he formerly worked at a tree farm). Thank you beautiful family from Marblehead!

The Farm is only open tomorrow, Sunday, and next weekend, December 6th and 7th, or only as long as this year’s crop of harvestable trees last.

Topics Include: New GloucesterCast Subscriber Contest Number 2 Click Here To Subscribe and Enter- One Of The First Ten New Subscribers To The GloucesterCast Will Win a New Copy of Kim Smith’s Book Oh Garden Of Fresh Possibilities, A $35 Value, Winner Must Pick Up Book At the Dock and Will Be Announced On GloucesterCast 106, Kim Smith’s Monarch Film Trailer, Kim Smith’s Kickstarter Campaign For Her Monarch Film, Collin Keegan Science All Around Us, Tom Ellis, Nubar Alexanian, Last Week’s Podcast Subscriber T Shirt Winner Is Robert Lukach, Donna Ardizzoni Is Everywhere, Eating Like a Dock Worker, Passports Wine Dinner, Nichole Schrafft Let’s Down the Entire Readership and Baby Orphans Are Dying Because Of It, Paulie Walnuts Is Back (Surprise Surprise), Turducken, Big Green Egg, Nichole Schrafft, Chinese Food For Jewish People On Christmas, Mench On A Bench, Elf On The Shelf, When Do You Have Your Christmas/Hanukkah Shopping Done?, Trader Joe’s Amaretto, Trader Joe’s Frozen Fish Is Disgusting, Trout Is Like Poison, Detroit/Newark/Cincinnati, Energy Efficiency Discussion, Toby’s Gorton Review, The Food and Gift Emporium, Jessica Brand, Request For Nichole To Put Together A Children’s Gift Suggestion List, Grandpa Gave All the Cousin’s Hatchets When We Were 7 Years Old, Report On Finn’s Status After His Horrible Fall, Participation Awards and MVP Awards, The Game Ball,Happy Thanksgiving :)

So, Joey asked if I’d like to put together a little list of things to do to help keep the kiddos busy while on February Vacation (I read that as a challenge in how to keep parents somewhat sane during February vacation). I’d like to make note that there are some great options in town that are already highlighted on the blog…such as The Hive and Art Haven. If you follow GMG, you have heard of them! They are beyond cool and are an incredible asset to the city! Be sure to check them out! I also have to point out that while I have been to most of these places, I am no expert. Please check out the links that I’ve provided before heading anywhere incase things have changed since I have visited!!

I’d like to start by saying that, while I know this post is about finding possibilities of things to do outside of the house, I’d be remiss to not mention that the Winter Olympics are AWESOME and having your kids get excited about watching these amazing athletes wouldn’t be a bad choice either!

There are lots of great ways to get their brains and bodies moving while enjoying the 2014 Sochi Olympics as a family. My kids are psyched to make flags from the participating nations, cook some treats from some of the countries (HELP!), make torches (not real ones), keep a chart of the medal counts, and simply watch the events!

1. Kids bouncing off the walls? Here’s an idea…take them to a place to bounce off the walls…literally!

School vacation screams, “TAKE ME TO SKY ZONE” if you ask me!! They have a toddler jump for little leapsters under 45″ or regular jump times for bigger kids! There is an Everett location as well as a Boston location. If they don’t leave Sky Zone tired, you’re just plain out of luck.

4. Eurostove in Beverly offers all kinds of cooking classes for couples, families, girls nights out, and even for young kids. Check out their website and see if you find anything that looks good to you or contact them to set up your own small group event!

6. Skating at Talbot Rink at O’Malley Innovation Middle School is super cheap and easy. If the kids can skate independently then the grown-ups can sit and relax (think hot coffee and Baileys) while they get their crazies out on the ice. Win, win.

Skating is offered most days from 2:00-3:50 but be sure to check their schedule first incase games were scheduled.

My warning here is that when we’ve gone, there has been a long wait for bowling and for dinner. So plan accordingly! We put our name in for bowling, took the pager with us to the skating rink, and it buzzed nicely when it was our turn to bowl. One person headed to Kings to save our lanes for us while the others took off their skates and we were good to go!!

8. In the category of, I’ve never gone here but want to is, The Melting Pot in Burlington. Who doesn’t love fondue?

10. Lowell Winter Fest’s claim to fame is the National Human Dogsled Competition…with an award for best costume. Need I say more? In all seriousness…it is actually loaded with fun activities such as ice skating, snowman building, horse drawn carriage rides, music, poetry slam contests, etc. Check out the link to see a whole list of activities. The festival takes place on Feb 21st-22nd and begs the question, “When will we be having our own Winter Fest because this looks really cool?”

11. I love this Boston Scavenger Hunt text style!!!! Check out the link for more information, but the premise is that you head to Boston, purchase the pretty inexpensive clues right on the website and they get sent right to your phone. Once you arrive to one location, you do what you need to do, and then the next clue is sent! Fun for groups of 2-12! They do these scavenger hunts in other cities too, fyi.

The next two go together…kind of. It’s my “one if by land, two if by sea” duo because my boys like anything that moves on land or at sea.

12. The “by land”

I have yet to visit this place, but as a mom to two young boys who like all things shiny and fast, it is only a matter of time. I was actually surprised to learn about it not long ago, and have wondered why I’ve never heard about it before. The Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline looks beyond cool and is definitely near the top of our little bucket list.

14. Skating at the Frog Pond is such a great activity just because it is truly so cool to look up and see the city of Boston rising up all around you. You can’t beat the view and it is, in my humble opinion, a nice treat and an easy way to get the kids into the city if they don’t go in that often.

15. Likewise, ice skating at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge is cool too. I used to spend a lot of time in Harvard Square and it can be a really nice place to take the kids if the big city overwhelms you at all.

16. Also in Cambridge…and good old fashion fun…is the Bugs Bunny Film Festival. Come on, right!? If you want to get your “What’s Up Doc” fix, it is showing at the Brattle Theatre in Harvard Square throughout the entire vacation week!

18. Hairspray is playing at the Wheelock Family Theatre in Boston….which for the record, has never disappointed me. I’ve seen 4 shows there and each one has been fantastic! This particular production says, “Recommended for adults, teens and youth 9+.”

19. If Eurostove doesn’t work out for you and you don’t mind traveling to Newton, check out Create a Cook for some pretty awesome parent/child cooking classes. Their vacation schedule is loaded with fun activities, but is filling up fast!

20. My favorite museum in Boston by far as I tend to like the smaller, less obvious choices….check it out for sure sometime. All museums, etc are obviously going to be a bit more crowded over vacation….so if not now, be sure to head back there later.

21. You don’t need me to tell you that the Museum of Science is a cool place to go, but you may not know that the Planetarium will be showing a Magic Tree House adventure. I don’t know about your kids, but mine LOVE the Magic Tree House series and those little adventurers named Jack and Annie. I’m so psyched to go see this (insert, sigh, what has my life come to)!

There are also several great shows in the IMAX theatre over vacation week. The one I’m the most excited about is called Journey to the South Pacific. With an introduction that says, “Swim with the world’s largest shark, encounter mysterious creatures of the sea, and explore the planet’s most spectacular coral reefs” I’m in!!

22. If you’re a Beatles fan, RAIN: a Tribute to the Beatles is playing at the Wang Theater on February 21 and 22nd. This is a pricier option than most of the others that I’ve shared, but is a pretty cool way to infuse some culture into the kids without it be too formal and straight laced.

24. While a bit of a drive… if you’re looking for a longer day trip or a quick night away, head to Providence. The Roger William’s Zoo is my favorite zoo around…even in the winter. During January and February they charge half price admission. For a mere $7.50 for adults and $4.95 for kids you can see zebra, giraffe, elephants, eagles, river otters, wolves, buffalo, kangaroo, etc. I’m pretty critical about animal enclosures and the treatment of normally wild animals when in captivity, but I assure you that this place does it right. I was super impressed with their habitats and the knowledge of the many volunteers we met along the way. Again, we were there in January, and were still not disappointed!

25. Also in Providence, if you have any hockey fans in the family, are the Providence Bruins. If you’re not keen on paying hundreds of $$ to see the Boston Bruins, this is a phenomenal option. We recently attended a game in the 3rd row and paid a total of $78 for our family of 4! Their only home game of vacation week takes place on Sunday, February 16th @ 3:05 pm. You can opt for a “Buy one, Get one” option or a “Family 4 Pack” option. Some come with hotdogs and drinks. Fool around a bit with seat availability and price/package options and get yourself a great deal. Parking at the mall that connects with the Dunkin’ Donuts Center cost us a whopping $2 and we left our car there for easily 4 hours!

26. IF you happen to land in Providence and have kiddos between say 4 and 18, you could also check out Dave and Busters. For the record, you won’t catch me in a Chuck E. Cheese or Bonkers ever, but this place is awesome!! You can load a card with as much, or as little, cash as you’d like and the kids simply swipe and play. The place is loaded with cool games..some that the whole family can play together. The kids will score tickets to spend on the way out and, as is typical for this type of place, a gazillion tickets will buy you a rabbit’s foot key chain or a pair of whacky giant-sized plastic sunglasses. My 4 and 6 year olds had a blast running around playing games for a couple hours after we enjoyed a pretty decent dinner!

If you don’t land in Providence, Dave and Busters has a location in Braintree, Massachusetts too. Worth the drive for some fun.

27. This is a small but nice museum about 15 mins away from Portsmouth, NH…in Dover. This place is really cute and user friendly, so to speak. You’re only going to spend about 2 hours here, but it is easy, manageable, pretty quiet, really clean, and full of original, educational, and really fun activities. My boys loved it here and I felt like they could really take their time in the exhibits without being rushed by the massive crowds that we experience at bigger museums.

28. Speaking of Portsmouth, the small-but-packs-a-big-punch SeaCoast Science Center is a must. Ordione Point State Park is gorgeous if the weather is nice, but the science center is a hit no matter what the weather!! It isn’t crazy like the New England Aquarium, which I love…but I leave there feeling exhausted. It is hands-on and really cute, while being super educational! It is perfect for kids between 2-10 or maybe even a bit older.

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Hey Joey,
Happy New Year! I snapped this photo today at the Roger William’s Zoo (AMAZING place fyi…open all year and 1/2 price in January + February). Timing is everything. I love the look on the non-defecating eagle’s face. I could almost hear him saying, “Nice, really nice. Way to represent.” :)
-Nichole Schrafft

Hi Joey! Thank you so much for being willing to entertain 26 students from the Harborlight-Stoneridge Montessori School this afternoon! The two-week summer session that they’ve been participating in has followed the theme of "Marine Biology and Maritime History." They have been incredibly fortunate to spend most days on the water engaged in a variety of hands-on activities. Today they had to opportunity to explore Gloucester Harbor to learn about the rich fishing industry and to see up close the large variety of vessels that call Gloucester their home. Last week was spent learning about plankton, mollusks, echinoderms, fish, and crustaceans while conducting research at sea. After having hauled traps and having learned about lobsters, it was important to me that they see "what happens next." I really wanted the students to see a working waterfront and you very kindly supplied that opportunity! As expected, you were incredibly patient with their questions and able to hold their attention while refining their knowledge. They felt at ease with you right away and would have gladly stayed for hours had they the chance. Not only do you now have 26 new FOBs, you’ve also helped this group of children better appreciate an industry that has been incredibly foreign to many of them. To quote one of your new friends as he boarded the bus to head home, "That place is so cool!" Thanks so much! Nichole Schrafft

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Hey Joey,
Just when I thought we had dragged our children to every possible day trip imaginable, we took off after hockey today and went to the Seacoast Science Center…just a couple of miles off the Portsmouth Circle. SOOO worth the short drive!!! My boys LOVE the Gloucester Maritime Center and, as members, we go there all summer long, but the Seacoast Science Center is a perfect compromise between our own “little red aquarium” (as my boys call it) and trekking to Boston to the NE Aquarium. While it is no Mystic Aquarium, it is a fantastic day trip!! During warmer weather they also have great trail hiking and tidal pool exploration because they are located in Odiorne Point State Park. I thought that some of your readers may want to check it out! http://www.seacoastsciencecenter.org/
Nichole Schrafft

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Free GMG Gloucester Sticker

As long as supplies last if any GMG folks want a bumper sticker but can't drop down the dock, just send a self addressed and stamped envelope longer then 7 and a half inches and I'll drop one in the mail for you.

Send the self addressed and stamped envelope to the dock at 95 East Main St Gloucester Ma 01930 care of Joey (put my name in big letters to make sure it gets to me)

Free GMG Gloucester Sticker

As long as supplies last if any GMG folks want a bumper sticker but can't drop down the dock, just send a self addressed and stamped envelope longer then 7 and a half inches and I'll drop one in the mail for you.

Send the self addressed and stamped envelope to the dock at 95 East Main St Gloucester Ma 01930 care of Joey (put my name in big letters to make sure it gets to me)